December 31, 2006

HAPPY NEW YEAR

A new day, from Diamond Head at dawn. May the new year hold just as much promise.

December 30, 2006

bright spots

Snorkeling with dd (my own little fish ) in Hanauma Bay, Oahu — a very definite highlight of 2006!!!

I used to swim long distance for hours in the oceans off Cape Town, South Africa when I was pregnant with dd, shafts of light cutting deep into the sea, the sound of my bubbles in my ears. With her in my belly I never felt alone in those swells. Underwater was the time I could most sense her presence, and in my head I used to talk to her, my unborn child. That first swim after her birth — I never felt more alone.

But when she reached for my hand underwater in Hawaii, and we swam together with the fishes, rising and falling over coral reefs, weightless on the tide  – it was with real shock that I felt that old and very special bond again. Weird, huh?

Regardless of my weirdness – Hanauma Bay is magic.

And I knew there was good reason to name her after a beautiful mystical fish. In Hawaiian her name is A’u.

OF GOALS AND DREAMS … AND THINGS …

I had a vision. Take my Hawaiian shorts to run a marathon in Hawaii — for my dad, for life, for many reasons. I did. And I’m proud. Happy. But more than anything, I am somewhat in awe of the whole goal-setting process … how it works, if you really want it to. And how aimless and unfocussed life can be without articulating and actively striving for dreams.

Today I came across this quote on Scott Dunlap’s trail runner’s blog: “I get twitchy when I don’t have a race on the calendar. Even an upcoming 5k fun run seems to energize me with anticipation and put some spring in my step. But nothing matches the feeling of seeing a full calendar of new races and adventures for the next year. It does more than structure my training…on some deep level, it helps give my life meaning. It is proof that I’m making the choice to live in this world, instead of on this world. Each race is a guaranteed journey of spiritual and physical adventure.”

The ever-eloquent Scott nailed it for me. Whether it’s a race, or some other goal, once articulated it puts a special spring in your step, a reason for getting up each morning. A reason for taking the journey. It creates focus. It gives passion to life. And focus plus plenty of passion often makes magic, luck. It makes dreams come true.

With that in mind I’m setting down my list of personal goals for 2007 and beyond. I won’t burden you with them here :)  … but my overall goal this year is to do whatever I choose to tackle with love, passion. Be it a chore, a relationship, a walk, preparing a meal … I want to be part of growth and the nurturing of things around me, and I believe passion is the creative spark of all that lives. Like Scott said, the idea is to be a part of this world. Live in it, not on it. And I want to give everything 100 per cent. All of the time. Above all, I want to keep a beginner’s mind, in the Zen sense, where everything is always possible and the barriers of hubris always distant. And I want to be true to myself. Against this, I will weigh all other goals. This will underpin them.

What about you? Do you plot — jot down a list of goals each year and check them off at year’s end? Or do you hate lists preferring to sail into the deliciously uncertain mists of the future? I know some people do. I used to abhor lists, too — until recently. Until I saw the power of what they could help me achieve, and to what distance (’scuse the pun) they could help me go.

Nuff said. Time to get on with it now … 2007 is just around the corner, and I have a new list to make ….

December 29, 2006

FOUND IN WHISTLER - LOST STAR

I know Terry O’Quinn (LOST’s John Locke) was in Waikiki when we were there — the entire LOST cast was reported to be at the Aloha Stadium for the U2 Vertigo concert the night before the Honolulu Marathon. But today he is here, in Whistler, in the snow. Dh spotted him. Why didn’t dh snag a photo? Because the poor man was being mobbed by autograph seekers.

This is where the actor apparently lives — on Oahu’s North Shore. Renowned for it’s big wave surfing and not a place to swim in the winter. The summer, however, is calm and gorgeous and Waimea Bay (where the photo below was taken) is said to be what drew O’Quinn and his wife to relocate to the North Shore. We didn’t see him there. All we had to do was come home

December 28, 2006

DOWN UNDAH

Down under all the others …. that’s where I found RULES OF RE-ENGAGEMENT in Hawaii. “Look mom, it is here – right at the very bottom.”

Still, it was an absolute thrill to find my book in Honolulu’s famous Ala Moana shopping centre.

And after some, er, quick reorganizing by dh (I had nothing to do with it, honest) … things looked up somewhat.

And speaking of Down Under, on the Australian eharlequin site I see that my MERCENARY is being paired with Merline Lovelace’s CLOSER ENCOUNTERS for a January 2007 release in Australia and New Zealand. I am so honored to see my name alongside  hers.

 Not a very good image, I’m afraid. But hey — I’m next to MERLINE.

Thanks for all the well-wishes re: my bug. It’s been a devil to shake, and keeps recurring whenever I get tired, but I think I’m finally fully on the mend and ….  cracking those typing knuckles ….

December 26, 2006

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!

 Honolulu Marathon fireworks for the 5 am start on Ala Moana Blvd.

Leanna — aka REBELLE from eHarlequin!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS — your name was drawn from the hat on Christmas day by my trusty contest assistant (well, okay, it wasn’t exactly a hat, it was a ski helmet). Please contact me ASAP and let me know whether you want the RWA membership, or the books, and if so, which imprint :) For the complete list of options, click here.

And thank you to everyone else for your entries and interest!!!!!!!! It’s been a fun few months. I hope to do something similar for my next releases, so please don’t forget to check in down the road.

For now — a very happy end-of-year-season, and all of the very best of wishes as we head into 2007.

And belated birthday wishes to Bailey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!